Candy Versus Apples- An Adventure Time Story
by TaiylorWallace
Summary: When Prince Gumball bores Fionna out of her mind with a week-long baking spree, she couldn't be happier for a distraction from Marshall Lee. But when he embarrasses her so much that she runs away, then she cries when she breaks up a fight between Marshall and PG, the boys know they've gone too far and they've got to make it up to their best friend. -Taiylor Wallace


For what felt like the thousandth (but was really the sixth) time that week, Fionna once again found herself bored out of her mind as she helped Prince Gumball mix cookie dough and make all manner of sweets. She'd long since gotten tired of munching in between and Gumball had been humming the same song for three days. They'd just finished a batch of Gumball's favorite pink cream puffs when Gumball suddenly gasped and Fionna snapped to attention. At first, she was confused and a little startled to see one of the cream puffs floating. But when the color drained from it, she sighed with relief.

"Marshall Lee, it's not funny."

"It is for the look on pinky's face," Marshall laughed as he materialized out of thin air in his red plaid shirt and jeans and red sneakers. His shirt hung open, revealing his grey tanktop beneath it.

"Ahem. It's Prince Gumball, you ruffian," the prince huffed, and Marshall Lee rolled his eyes.

"Oh, shame on me. I beg your forgiveness, your mighty lordship," Marshall sarcastically mumbled, making no real effort as he lounged back in the air.

"Hmph!" Gumball turned away, focusing on scooping cookie dough onto a pan. Fionna found herself distracted by Marshall Lee, wishing she could go and hang out with him. At least it'd be a change. Baking all week with Gumball in preparation for the upcoming candy parade was really bumming her out with all the monotony. And not even the Monochromicorn-cool monotony. Marshall Lee simply seemed to want to hang around and bother Gumball, so Fionna tried to focus on helping her royal friend until Marshall Lee, who had been draining the pink from a few more cream puffs, tossed one aside and Gumball slipped on it and fell, spilling a whole pan of unbaked cookies all over himself. "Whoa! He-Hey! Marshall Lee, that's it!"

Gumball rose, tossing a ball of dough from his hair to glare at the smirking vampire king. "I command you to leave my kitchen, and I suggest you leave the candy kingdom as well before I get really angry!"

"What're you gonna do about it, Gummy? Bake me a pie?" Marshall snickered and turned upside down. "I'm bored anyway, you're no fun. Hey, Fionna, you gotta be bored too. Let's go jam."

"Fionna is my assistant and my taste-tester this week," Gumball interjected, his hands planted on his hips defiantly. "Everything must be perfect for the parade and she has the best taste!"

"Except in candy friends, obviously."

"Get out, Marshall Lee!"

"I'll be waiting at my place, Fi," Marshall grinned and zoomed away out the window. Gumball threw away the colorless cream puffs with another annoyed huff.

"Riff-raff," he grumbled before returning to his baking. But soon, he paused and looked to Fionna, who was staring at the window almost longingly. "… Fionna? Hello?" He waved a hand in front of her face. "Are you okay? Earth to Fionna."

"Huh? Oh… yeah," Fionna muttered as she shook herself out of her thoughts. "I just, uh… my stomach is getting a little upset from all the sugar."

"Oh?" Gumball raised an eyebrow. He knew she could eat all the sweets he could bake and then some.

"Yeah, uh… y'know, a whole week of nothing but sugar, I think I ought to eat something else… I'm gonna go home and play some video games while my stomach settles, okay?" Fionna asked him sweetly, hoping he didn't see through the lie. She silently reasoned with herself that she was doing her teeth a big favor by getting away, but she wasn't sure why she was justifying her reasons to herself.

"Alright… I hope you feel better soon." Gumball knew, she was going to hang with Marshall Lee, she was bored of his baking. Fionna couldn't get out of there fast enough, shedding her apron and trying to pretend she wasn't overjoyed to leave. She forced herself to walk, to be slow as if her stomach really was hurting. She even added in a couple groans for effect until she was out of the prince's earshot. Then she took off at a jog toward home. But halfway there, she paused, facing the direction in which Marshall Lee's house lay. If Gumball came to check on her and she wasn't home… but she decided she could come up with an excuse on her way if that happened. The moment she began making her way toward the vampire's home, she ran into an invisible wall and fell backward on her butt. Shaking her head she looked up to see her pale friend appear with a smirk on his fanged face.

"I knew you couldn't resist me."

"What the heck's that supposed to mean?"

"You got out of there as fast as you could to come hang with me."

"No! I just… I had a stomachache, and I'm going home." As if to prove her point, she rose and started back toward the treehouse.

"You're such a bad liar. I saw you turning toward my place."

"I think you just really want me to come over."

"Psh, I'm just bored is all, and you're always mildly entertaining."

"Mildly?"

"At best."

"Then maybe you should find someone a little more 'mildly' entertaining to distract you," Fionna turned her nose up at him and continued on her way. Marshall Lee only chuckled, catching her arm.

"Come on!" He flew up high, grinning as she wrapped her arms around his waist for dear life.

"Marshall, put me down!"

"What's the magic word?"

"Right globbin' now!" She cried.

"Not even close! Didn't your kitty-mama ever teach you any manners?"

"Marshall!" Fionna looked up at him, and she knew how she could get her way. Suddenly, she let go of him.

"WHOA!" Marshall dove down to catch her feet from the ground and he set her down. "What the hey, Fionna! You could've gotten really hurt, man!"

"Nah, I knew you'd catch me," Fionna grinned at his obvious worry and he glared at her. But she knew he recovered quickly when he smirked at her.

"Oh, so you just wanted me to hold you, huh? I knew you were in love with me. You can't resist these arms."

"I can resist them plenty," Fionna growled with a blush. "Now I told you I ate too much sugar, and I'm going home."

Marshall Lee rose into the air and Fionna turned away. She stopped short when he suddenly dropped in front of her, their faces level but the vampire was floating upside down above her. He smirked once more, reaching out to tap her nose teasingly, which caused the pink blush to spread across her face. "We both know you could eat the whole candy kingdom and still want ice cream afterward. Maybe that's why you're so sweet. Too bad I'm too sour for you… or do you like a little taste of lemon?"

Fionna blushed furiously, her whole face red at this point. She pushed past him and ran into the treehouse, slamming the door behind her. Marshall Lee looked on with a bit of surprise, realizing he'd once again pushed a little too far. He landed before the door, knocking lightly. "Hey, Fi. Open up, girl. I'm sorry, okay? You know I like teasing too much." The only answer was the sound of a lock clicking shut and Marshall Lee sighed. He looked up at the huge tree and slowly got an idea. He smiled to himself and rose up to Fionna's living room window, pulling his axe guitar from his back to strum a sweet chord. Fionna came to the window and drew the curtains, her face still red, so Marshall Lee flew to another window and he began to sing for the embarrassed girl.

_Sweet, sweet Fionna,_

_Little funny bunny girl…_

_Have I got a sweet tune for you._

_Chasin', chasin' candy,_

_But that pink boy doesn't know,_

_Even if he's the smartest little fool._

_He doesn't know, he can't see it,_

_That guy's so completely blind._

_His little taste-tester, baby,_

_She's one of a kind._

_But I can see it- demon eyes, baby-_

_Her sweet tooth is sweet as can be,_

_But she likes her sour drops too, yeah…_

_That girl's got a thing for me._

_Sweet little Fionna,_

_You gotta let that sugar go._

_It's bad for you, y'know._

_L__et that sugar go,_

_Come to the sour side_

_For a crazy wild ride._

_Come to the sour side, girl,_

_If you're up for a wild ride_

_With the Vampire King, baby,_

_I'll make you sing._

By this point, Fionna had drawn all the curtains and her face was blazing red like never before. Little did she know, Gumball had arrived outside and he'd heard the song.

"Hey!" Marshall turned, hearing that familiar royal voice.

"Ugh, what do you want, pinky?"

"Leave Fionna be! She's not feeling well!"

"Haha! Do you honestly believe that, candy-boy? She left 'cuz watching paint dry is more fun that hanging with you! She could hardly wait to come chill with the cool one."

"If that's true, then why didn't she go to your house? Or did you play on her feelings AGAIN?"

"Shut up, Gumwad," Marshall Lee growled, but he knew the prince was right. And that hurt. "It's your fault she's so touchy today anyway, hours of nothing but boredom can do that to you."

"Listen, here, mister. You may be some rebel rocker who thinks his C-grade poetry is all deep and enchanting, but at least I'm a gentleman and I don't play on Fionna's emotions like you play on that silly guitar."

"I said SHUT UP!" Marshall hissed, flipping his guitar to his back and diving down to attack the prince. Before he knew it, he was on the ground and Fionna was on top of him, having leapt out the window as she heard the fighting in order to stop him.

"Knock it off, you stupid vampire!" She screamed and punched him in the chest. Gumball came up behind her and touched her arm, offering a hand to help her up, but she pulled away and stepped back, glaring between the two of them as Gumball stood there a little startled and Marshall lay on the ground staring at her in disbelief, his hand over the sore spot where she'd punched him.

"I'm sick of you always messing with my head, you jerk!" She cried, tears brimming in her eyes. Marshall felt a harsh tug in his chest. He'd made her cry… again. It seemed to be a weekly occurrence now… "And I'm tired of always doing the same boring stuff with you, Gumball! Just… both of you, leave me alone for once!"

"I… of course. I'm… terribly sorry," Prince Gumball lowered his head, flinching slightly when she slammed the door behind her on the way inside. Both Gumball and Marshall Lee slowly made their way away from the treehouse, and eventually, Marshall shot a depressed glare at the prince before flying off home. It was the next day when both returned. Gumball came with soup, hoping a distinct lack of sugar would show Fionna he had really thought about things. Marshall Lee came with a sack of red apples in hand. It was all he had, but he hoped Fionna understood the gift. After all, red apples- next to strawberries- were his favorite, and he didn't share them with just anyone. They silently glared at each other, waiting in front of the door after Gumball knocked. The door cracked open slightly and they saw Fionna peek through. Marshall tried to give her one of his crooked smiles, but she shot him a hurt glare and quickly closed the door and locked it. Marshall Lee's expression fell, sad for a moment til it turned to anger.

"This is your fault," he grunted as they turned to begin walking away, defeated after several attempts to get Fionna to come out. Gumball paused and looked at him incredulously.

"My fault? Who always manages to make her cry? At least I'm only boring, I'm not a complete wad!"

"I didn't mean to, okay!" The vampire king hissed. "I know I always mess things up and I push too far, but I never mean to make her cry! Glob, that's the last thing I ever want to do!"

"Though… I suppose I certainly set her up for it…"

"… What?"

"I always ask Fionna to stifle all that energy and creativity to come help me do things that only I enjoy. I'm selfish with her. She was probably already angry or disappointed with me… I'd feel the same if she dragged me off to watch her train and hold her swords for her. It's basically the same concept."

"… So… I guess we're even."

"Yes. We're both equally at fault, and we must work equally to make it up to her." Gumball raised a determined fist.

"Yeah, uh… whatever you say, bro."

The two made their way back to Gumball's castle and into his kitchen. Marshall watched Gumball as he gathered up all sorts of ingredients. "Um… not to distract you from your manly baking, but… aren't we gonna make up for being wads?"

"Of course we are. We both brought food for Fionna, didn't we? Well, since we know she enjoys good cooking and we both believe food is a good apology gift, we'll make her something together!"

"Not too sweet, though. She's had enough of that."

"Honestly, so have I, even if I am Candy Prince," Gumball admitted with a smile, earning a surprised tilt of the head from the vampiric half-demon.

"Oh. Cool. What do you like to eat when it's not sugar?"

"Noodles, mostly. Especially the ones Lord Monochromicorn and Cake make," Gumball smiled brightly at the thought. "And you?"

"Anything red."

"Well I know your favorite is strawberries-"

"How do you know?"

"I may be a little oblivious to some things-

"Everything."

"Ahem… I may be oblivious to some things, but I notice what my friends like and don't like."

"Friend?"

"Yes."

"Seriously, Gummy?"

"Of course. We may be rivals and we often fight, but if you weren't my friend, I wouldn't invite you to the ball every year and I certainly wouldn't invite you to boys' night or attend your musical performances."

"… You come to my gigs?"

"All that I can. I love your music." At that, Marshall felt a twinge in his chest like… was it appreciation? No, it was warmth for _being _appreciated. He liked it.

"Oh… uh… thanks, Gumball. That, uh… means a lot to me."

"And don't think I don't notice how often you come by stealing my cream puffs and red velvet cakes. I'm glad you enjoy my baking, in fact sometimes I make red cakes and purposely leave them out for you to swipe."

"Wow… I never… I never knew."

"Now, enough with this mushy nonsense, my pale friend, what will we make for Fionna?"

"Well, you've got flour, I've got apples… how 'bout apple pie? It's tart, not too sweet."

"Perfect! You start cutting, I'll make the crust!"

The two joined together in the kitchen, Marshall Lee peeling and slicing the apples while Gumball formed the pie dough and lined a dish with it. They filled the middle with apples and a touch of cinnamon and a dash of sugar before covering it with the second piece of crust. Gumball cut little vents into the dough in the shape of Marshall's axe guitar and Marshall added a cupcake shape for Gumball. They slid the apple pie into the oven and passed the baking time with an impromptu jam session between Marshall Lee's guitar and a synthesizer in Gumball's room that the prince had built after playing BMO for so long.

That night they made their way to the treehouse and Gumball knocked on the door, but Fionna wouldn't answer. Marshall Lee sighed. "She's never gonna come out, Gum."

"… Sing for her."

"Huh?"

"Fionna loves your music. And you're great at improvising."

"Only if you join in. We're in this together, man."

"Of course. I'll follow your lead, maestro."

"Hah. Alright, pinky, don't make me look bad." Marshall Lee zoomed into the sky before the treehouse with his guitar, but he began rapping acapella to start.

_Yo, hey Fionna, Listen girl, come on out._

_We're here 'cause we finally talked about_

_What's really important and what's real,_

_Like how you're our girl and how you feel._

_I'm not here to tease you, baby,_

_And he's not here to make you try a pastry._

_We're here to tell you we're sorry and we want our girl back,_

_Even if real understanding is what we lack…_

Fionna slowly peeked out from behind the curtains and Marshall Lee gave her a soft smile before she hid back behind the veil. He strummed out a few notes, letting them run together in a soothing melody not unlike the song he'd sung for her the day before, but sweeter now, softer, closer to what he really felt about her.

_Fi, it's no secret we've been real jerks,_

_Especially me, since that's just who I am._

_Fionna, come out…_

_We worked it out right,_

_I swear we're gonna change._

_Fionna… Come out._

_'Cause it's always candy versus apples,_

_Never together._

_It's always candy versus apples,_

_It's just who we are…_

_Come out and see, girl,_

_We're friends, I promise we are._

_Fionna, please come out…_

Then Gumball joined in, stepping forward with his hands clasped before him, looking up as Fionna peeked out again.

_'Cause it's always candy versus apples,_

_But, Fionna, there's a secret._

_It's always candy versus apples_

_Until you find the caramel._

_You're our perfect caramel,_

_You make us work so well together._

_Please, Fionna, come out…_

And together, they sang slowly…

_'Cause it's always candy versus apples_

_Til we get our caramel._

_It's always candy versus apples_

_Til Fionna comes along…_

_Please, Fionna, sweet ca-a-armel girl…_

_Please, ple-ease, come ooooooout…_

After a short silence, Marshall Lee came to land by Gumball as Fionna disappeared from the window. He waited for a long moment, and his heart sank. "She's not coming out, bro…"

"I guess not… Oh!" Gumball started at the sound of the door lock clicking open. Fionna emerged slowly, tears in her eyes, and Marshall suddenly felt much worse.

"Aw, Glob… I made her cry again," he whispered.

"We did, but those are good tears," Gumball assured him with a smile before Fionna came to wrap her arms around both the prince and the vampire.

"You guys… you're messing with my heart guts again."

"Not messing," Marshall insisted with a smile.

"Trying to repair the damage we caused," Gumball added, and both boys earned a kiss to the cheek from the bunny-eared heroine. Both felt their faces flush and they looked at each other, and both laughed at the other's blush. Finally, Gumball held up the pie when Fionna stepped back. "We- both of us together- made you this from Marshall Lee's apples and my baking supplies. We tried not to make it too sugary, I know you're a little bit sick of that."

"No pun intended when I say you're really sweet, Gumball," Fionna smiled almost shyly. "And you too, Marshall. You don't have to be made of candy to be a really sweet guy too."

"Nah, just made of Nightosphere-stuff and demon," Marshall grinned before Fionna went inside to gather up plates and forks and a knife. They sat together on the hill in front of the treehouse and sliced into the apple pie, sharing it between them after Fionna smiled at the little shapes of the axe and cupcake in the crust.

"So, Fionna. I just had a new idea. I want to try making sour apple candy, something tart and not so sweet. And this apple pie… I like the recipe, I might make more. I'm not asking you to come sit around and watch me bake, but when I perfect my ideas, will you come test them?" Gumball offered her a kind smile, hoping she knew he was trying to change.

"Sure I will," Fionna nodded to the smiling prince.

"You too, Marshall Lee. You're an apple connoisseur, aren't you? Who better than you two to test them. And I know you prefer sour candy."

"Heck, why not, that way I can steal more cream puffs and junk. And Fionna can get a taste of both of us while she's there."

Once again, Fionna blushed furiously and pulled her hat down over her face while Gumball laughed at her embarrassment. Marshall Lee smiled to himself; everything was back to normal.


End file.
